Cops Find Knife, Drugs Near Child’s Toys in Home

April 12, 2014

While searching a McMechen house for drugs, police arrested Jonathan H. Postlewait after allegedly finding a knife stuck in the arm of couch near children's toys, several controlled substances and drug paraphernalia around the house.

Postlewait, 28, was charged with child abuse with risk of injury and delivery of a controlled substance. Bond was set at $5,000.

According to court documents, police obtained a search warrant for Postlewait's house at 26 21st St. based on their suspicion he was selling oxycodone pills. The criminal complaint states officers arrived at the house at about noon Wednesday to find Postlewait sitting on the porch, allegedly fleeing inside when he saw sheriff's deputy vehicles.

Officers then chased Postlewait and discovered him in his mother's bedroom, while Postlewait's 4-year-old son was in the kitchen, the complaint states. In the subsequent search, law enforcement found a small brown box in the corner of the bedroom with a plastic wrapper containing oxycodone and buprenorphine pills. Officers also found two syringes between a mattress and box spring, $150 in cash on top of the refrigerator, the remainder of a marijuana joint on the basement steps and a marijuana pipe and small amount of marijuana on top of the cabinet in the dining room.

A knife with a 5-inch blade was also found stuck into the arm of a chair in the basement about four feet away from the child's toys.

Postlewait reportedly admitted to snorting two Percocet pills just before officers came to his door, but said he didn't do it front of his son. A search of Postlewait's cellphone allegedly revealed several text messages about selling people drugs. The child was placed in the care of his mother, who lives separately from Postlewait.